Strategies for health services in women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-1 9 pandemic in countries of Americas

The article analyzes the perceived challenges and strategies implemented in five Latin American and Caribbean countries to ensure continuity of care and access to health services for women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study corresponds to a quick assessment based on semi-structured in-terviews with key informants in countries selected by convenience: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic. Interviews were conducted with 23 key informants: (a) deci-sion makers at the national and/or subnational level, (b) healthcare professionals, and (c) represen-tatives of civil society organizations; from Decem-ber 2020 to January 2021. Among the findings, at the beginning of the pandemic, priority was given to the COVID-19 care, with measures to limit the flow of people to health facilities in the countries involved, closing or limiting outpatient visits and restricting care schedule. For women, this affected family planning services and access to contracep-tive methods, implying a reduction in prenatal check-ups. As a result of this deinstitutionalization of care, among newborns, a decrease in pediatric check-ups, a decrease in timely immunization and late detection of pathologies or growth problems were reported. Among adolescents, a strong restric-tion of family planning services, the limitation of other friendly counseling spaces and difficulties in accessing contraceptives were observed.